Oppinions of para cord wrapped handles?

OK, this is weird. A year or so ago, I started a thread about who hates Pcord handles and it seemed like I was really alone. Now, I hear most people saying the same thing I did - it looks like the maker got lazy and skipped making an actual handle for the knife. I've always considered them to be a silly "tacticool" feature. However, just for giggles, since i make/sell bracelets and have alot of cord laying around, I took the scales off my ESEE 5 and wrapped it with desert cam, using the 360 Strider knot and I actually kinda liked it. The 1/4" thick ESEE 5 was the right thickness to use with a cord handle and the 360 knot gave it a nice swell. I've since taken it off and put the real scales back on it, though. There's only ONE knife type I'd prefer a cord wrapped handle on - an Izula (or other comparable piece)
 
I took paracord off of an Ek bowie and made a real handle out of oak. I like real handles, not some slap together affair that a 10 year old would come up with if he found a handleless knife somewhere. If I want to carry paracord in preparation for some unseen event, I'll coil some up and put in in my pocket or pack. I don't see any benefit in removing it from a knife tang, or un-braiding a bracelet or rifle sling.
 
How's the paracord when soaked in epoxy, compared to dry? Any long term experience users out there? Does it get wet, stinky, and gross? Or, is it waterproof, and how's the grip, can it even be removed and used if needed? Yes, that's a bunch of questions. Thanks
 
If it's soaked in epoxy, it's worthless for anything else. Sans epoxy, even though it's nylon and will take longer to rot than say, organic fibers, it will still soak up and retain whatever it comes into contact with. Not the best way to store something if you intend to fall back on it in an emergency situation.
 
Thanks for he help guys, I did say opinions, and I got a bunch. Cool. Got some sarcasm and some facetious comments too, man, what a bargain! Those that gave facts too. Thanks. Looks like there are pros and cons, and I think letting my customers decide is a good idea, at least now I have some facts both pros and cons to help them decide between micarta, paracord, etc etc. Thanks guys, peAce!
 
The only one I would wrap with paracord is the Randall Made Model #18. And that knife is meant for serious situations, not for using what most people use a knife for. Most of the people I have seen can really get along with a small pocket knife.
 
I've done a couple of handles on hatchets and fishing rods with nylon rope. I did both coated and uncoated rope. No matter how tight I got the wrap, it still felt loose to me and it drove me nuts. Now if I'm doing a handle in it, I soak it in fiberglass resin (thinned with some acetone) after I wrap it. The rope absorbs the resin just like fiberglass mat does. If the resin is thin enough it soaks completely through the rope and dries hard. I suppose you could call it rope micarta. The texture after drying feels good enough to my hand. Definitely some texture, what with the individual wraps and the texture of the rope itself. It would probably make a hot spot or two on bare hands with long periods of use.

It's not nearly as rough as some of the extra aggressive texturing being used on some of the micarta and G10 scales on the market.

On the fishing rods I've done it even soaked through enough to bond to the sanded rod blank. Obviously, fiberglass resin isn't an adhesive like epoxy and doesn't really bond to metal surfaces that well. I haven't used the hatchet or knives enough to see if it'll eventually loosen up, but so far there are no issues. With the rope itself being sealed, as well as the resin filling in any nooks and crannies in the wrap, it should prevent it from becoming a nasty, gross mess.

I don't think that it could really be taken off and used for much of anything else, IMO. If it's not already loose, I think it would have to be cut off like any other hard handle material that is glued or epoxied.

Most epoxy isn't UV stabilized and will eventually break down, while UV doesn't affect fiberglass resin at all. I'm not sure that the absorption by the rope is enough to keep the epoxy from breaking down to long time UV exposure. I'm not concerned with that using the fiberglass resin. The resin is easier to get my hands on compared to a good quality epoxy. It also soaks into the wrap much better than any of the epoxies I've tried (all stuff from Lowes and Home Depot), especially when I thin it with the acetone.

I'll take pictures of the hatchet and the fishing rod handle and post them tomorrow.
 
I think that the para-cord looks good when you first put it on, but I agree it will not look good very long if the knife is a user. Skeloton knives are becoming fairly popular for their size and weight and wrapping them with para-cord gives you a better grip without the added weight of handle scales, I think it ends up being a matter of what you like and what you are willing to put up with.
 
cramsey3006 said:
No matter how tight I got the wrap, it still felt loose to me and it drove me nuts.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I've ever had that problem with para cord wrapped handles. I have been able to get them plenty tight.

As for my preferences, I like para cord wraps for neckers like my Izula, but prefer full handles for my larger knives.
 
Can't stand it. Uncomfortable and wears fast. Add it to a carbon blade and you are asking for trouble.
 
i ordered a few mini prybars and am going to paracord wrap them.
on knives i dont prefer the paracord.
 
I think paracord is decent as an improvised handle if your knife's real handle was broken, but only until you could get the handle repaired.
 
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